Fuse switch



Jun 24,'1941 F. J. MLUSKEY. ETAL 2.246.807

FUSE SWITCH Filed lay 20. 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JHM 24, 1941 F. J. MccLusKEY Erm. 2,246,807

FUSE SWITCH Filed llay 20, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z//l/l//ll A rra/2ND Patented June 24, 1941 FUSE SWITCH Francis J. McCluskey and George W. Goldner, St. Louis, Mo., assignors to James R. Kearney Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application May zo, 1935, serial No. 22,411

(ci. zoo-114) 18 Claims.

This invention relates generally to fuse switches, and more specifically to an improved housed fuse switch which includes a switch housing having a door that supports a fuse cartridge adapted on rupture of the fuse link of the switch to drop bodily out of the operative fusing position and swing outwardly and downwardly with the door from the closed to the open position of the door, the predominant object of the invention being to provide an improved fuse switcnof this type which, because of its unique construction and the novel arrangement of its parts, is capable of performing its intended function in a very efficient manner.

The improved fuse switch disclosed herein includes a number of novel features of construction and arrangement that serve to produce an apparatus which is superior to the housed fuse switches heretofore known. Among these features is the one already referred to herein, which involves mounting a fuse cartridge of the dropout type on the door of the fuse housing and arranging for such operation of the fuse cartridge that when the fuse link thereof is ruptured the fuse cartridge drops out of the effective fusing position while moving with the released door to the open position of the door. Another feature of the invention is the provision of terminals which are external to the interior of the switch housing, and still another feature is the manner o securing to the switch housing the hanger by which the housing is supported in position when in use. Other important features of the invention are the arrangement of having the lower contact.carried by the pivotally supported door of the improved structure; the compression type fuse link terminal; the arrangement which provides for the same force which holds the fuse link in tension, when same is in service, to serve as the force which causes the fuse cartridge and the door to be released for Atheir dropping out movement when the fuse link Iimproved fuse switch;

Fig. 2 is an elevation looking into the switch housing with the door and the fusecartridge removed;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal fragmentary section o line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the door of the improved structure looking at the inner facethereof and showing the fuse cartridge in association with said door, a portion of the fuse cartridge being shown in section.

, Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevation of the lower portion of the improved structure showing the door and the associated fuse cartridge in droppeddown positions; and

Fig. 6 is a section on line E-B of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, wherein is shown for the purpose of illustration, merely, one embodiment of the invention, A designates in Fig, 1 the improved fuse switch generally. The improved fuse switch A includes a housing I which is open at its front and bottom, said housing being provided at its front with a door 2, which is hinged to the body portion of the housing in a manner to be hereinafter set forth. The housing I is formed of porcelain or other suitable material, and the rear wall of the body portion thereof is of a considerably varying thickness, as shown in Fig. 1. Formed transversely through the rear wall of the housing adjacent to the top thereof is an opening 3, and formed transversely through said rear wall adjacent to the bottom of the housing is a similar opening 4. The openings 3 and 4 are open at the opposed outer side faces of the housing, and smaller openings 5 and 6 extend respectively from the openings 3 and 4 to the inner face of the rear wall of the housing. The rear wall of the housing I at the approximate vertical center of `said housing is of considerably greater thickness than the remainder of said rear wall, and formed transversely through this portion of the rear vwall is an opening 'I which is open at the opposed outer side faces of the housing and is of greater diameter than the openings 3 and 4. In the case of the opening I an opening 8 of less diameter extends from said' opening rearwardly to the rear face of the rear wall.

, the rear wall of the housing which is substantially the same width as the hanger, and said hanger is secured to the'housing-.by a bolt I0 which passes through the opening 8 and through an opening formed through the hanger which is alined with said opening 8. Arranged in embracing 4relation with the hanger portion that contacts with the elongated extension I' of the rear wall, and with said elongated extension, is an elongated element I I of more or less U-shaped cross-section (see Fig. 6). This element is provided with an opening through which the bolt I passes, and a washer llib is interposed between said element and the head portion IIIix oi-the bolt. The inner end portion of the bolt extends into the opening 1, and a substantially V-shaped element I2 is located within this opening in contact with the Wall thereof, said V-shaped element having an opening formed therethrough through which the bolt I0 extends, and a nut I2 which is mounted on the inner end portion of 4the bolt is screwed into close contact with said V-shaped element sol as to securely x the hanger to the housing. The element llprevents relative pivotal movement between the housing and the hanger about the bolt I0, inasmuch as the inwardly extended legs of said element embrace both the extension I' of the housing and the portion of the hanger which parallels and contacts with said extension as shown in Fig. 6.

Located within the openings 3 and 4 are terminals I3 and I4, to which are attached sections Ca and Cb of the electricalconductor with which the fuse switch is associated. Each of the terminals I3 and I4 comprises an elongated sleeve I5 (see Figs. 1 and 3), which preferably is of slightly greater thickness at its base portion than else' where, and at the approximate longitudinal center of said sleeve same is cutaway at its base and opposed sides, as indicated at I6 in Figs. 1 and 3, the outer portion of the sleeve being uncut and boing extended continuously from end to end of the sleeve. Arranged within the cutaway portion I6 of each sleeve is a substantially U-shaped element I1 having a relatively thick base portion and provided with opposed, parallel leg portions extended from said base portion, the continuously extended outer portion of the sleeve I being extended between the outer portions of.

the opposed leg portions of the element I1, as shown in Fig. 3.

Associated with the terminal I3 is an upper contact I8, and associated with the terminal I4 is a lower contact I3. The upper contact comprises a single length of heavy wire which is bent to provide a pair of spaced apart, coiled portions I8', said portions I8 being coiled in opposite directions and being connected by an upwardly extended loop portion 20. The opposite end portions of the length of Wire which 4provides the upper contactl I8 are extended outwardly from the respective coiled portions I8 and are bent as shown in Fig. l; that is to say, the end portion extended from each coiled portion is bent downwardly to provide a keeper portion 2| and then upwardly and outwardly at an inclination to provide a camming portion 22. From the upper end of the camming portion 22 of each coiled portion the wire is bent rearwardly and then outwardly, as indicated at 23 and 24. The upwardly extended loop portion 28 is arranged in contact with a plate 25 which is set in the inner face of the rear wall of the housing, and a bolt 26 passes through the loop portion 2U, through an opening formed through the plate 25 and through the opening 5 which leads to the opening 3 in which the terminal I3 is located. The bolt 26 at'its outer end is screwed into a tapped opening formed in the base portion of the element I1, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and at its opposite end said bolt is provided with a head portion adjacent'to which a washer 21 is arranged. Interposed between the washer 21 and a portion of the contact I8 is a relatively narrow plate 28, said plate having a vertically disposed portion provided with side iianges 28 which embrace the looped portion of the contact I8, as shown in Fig. 2, and being provided with a forwardly extended, resilient arm 29 having a downwardly curved, forward end portion 29. The plate 28 is provided withA an opening through which the associated bolt 26 passes. i

The lower contact I9 comprises a single length of relatively heavy wire which, as in the case of the upper contact I8, is bent to provide `a pair of spaced apart, coiled portions I9', said portions I9 being coiled in opposite directions and being connected by a downwardly extended loop portion 30. The opposite ends of the length of wire which provides the lower contact I9 are extended downwardly from the coiled portions I9 as shown at 3I, and said downwardly extended portions are provided at their lower ends with outwardly extended portions 3I. The lower contact I9 is arranged in contact with a plate 32 which is set in the inner face of the rear wall of the housing, and a bolt 33 is extended through the looped portion 30 of the lower contact, through an opening formed through the plate 32 and through the opening 6 in the rear wall of the housing. The bolt 33 at its outer end is screwed into Va tapped opening formed in the base portion of the element l1 of the l'ower terminal I4, and a head portion is provided at the opposite end of said bolt, adjacent to which a washer 34 is arranged. Interposed betweenthe washer 34 and the looped portion 30 of' the lower contact is a plate 35 which is provided with opposed side flanges, said plate being arranged so as to embrace said looped portion of said lower contact and having an opening through which the'bolt 33 passes.

' The elongated sleeves I5 of the upper and lower terminals I3 and I4 have each associated therewith a pair of screws, or other suitable fastening elements 36. The fastening elements 36 of each terminal are disposed at opposite sides of the main bolt of the terminal, and these fastening devices pass through openings formed through the associated plate which is setv in the rear wall of the housing and through openings 31 formed through said rear wall of said housing, and are screwed into tapped openings formed in the base portion of the associated elongated sleeve I5. By turning the fastening element 36 in the proper direction, the elongated sleeves I5 may be drawn toward the rear wall of the housing relative to the U-shaped elements I1, thus causing the conductor sections C and Cb to be securely clamped between the adjacently disposed faces of the U-shaped elements I1 and the intermediate portions of the outer walls of the elongated sleeves I5, whereby secure mechanical and eiiicient electricalconnection between the terminals and the conductor sections is obtained. Y

Supported by the housing of the improved structure adjacent to the lower portion thereof is a pair of oppositely disposed hinge elements 38 (Fig. 2). These hinge elements are of substantially hook-shaped formation and are suitably secured in place so as -to co-operate with the side Wallsof the housing in a manner to provide eyes.

The door 2 of the improved structure has fixed to it adjacent to its lower end, by means of screws 39 or otherwise, an element 40 which includes a pair of arms 4I which are extended inwardly into the body portion of the housing.

These arms are spaced apart transversely of the door 2, and at their inner ends are provided with hook-shaped portions 42 (Fig. 5) which hingedly engage the hinge elements 38. At the upper end of the element 48 an integral -extension 43 is provided, which has'a vertically disposed opening 44. At a point above the location of the element 40 the door 2 is provided with an extension 45, which has likewise a vertically disposed opening, this opening being designated by the reference character 46 and being alined vertically with the opening 44 formed through the extension 43 of the element 40.

Vertically disposed in the openings 44 and 46 is a fuse cartridge C, which comprises a tube 41 formed of suitable electrical insulating material, said tube being open at its lower end and at its upper end having a member 48 pinned or otherwise securely fixed thereto (see Figs. 1 and 4). The member 48 includes a lower sleeve portion 49 which embraces the upper portion of the tube 41 and is provided with extensions 50 which eX- tend outwardly in opposite directions. Extended upwardly from the sleeve portion 49 of the member 48 is an externally screw-threaded portion I which has an opening 5| formed longitudinally therethrough that communicates with the hollow interior of the tube, and screwed on this portion 5I is a suitable cap 52 having a non-circular tool-receiving portion, Extended through the opening 5l' of the member 48 and through the tube 41 is a fuse link F, which at its upper end is provided with a head F that is seated against the annular, upper flange of a tubular insert 53. The tubular body portion of the insert 53 is extended downwardly into the opening 5I' of the member 48, and the upper, annular flange of said insert is seated vagainst the top face of said member 48. The cap 52 at the upper end of the member 48 is screwed downwardly on the portion 5I thereof, so as to cause the inner face of the top wall thereof to contact with the head portion F of the fuse link, and in this manner cause said head portion and said insert 53 to be retained in their seated positions.

Fixedly mounted on the tube 41 of the fuse cartridge C is a split collar 54, the outstanding ears' 54' of which are connected by a suitable fastening device in the form of a screw or bolt 55. The split collar 54 is provided with a forwardly projected lug 56 which is extended into a vertically disposed depression 51 formed in the door 2, the base portion of the member 40 being provided with an elongated, vertically disposed slot 51 through which said lug 55 passes. Interposed between the lower face of the extension 43 of the member 40 and an insulating washer 58 seated against the top face of the split collar 54 is a coil spring 58. The coilspring is under compression when the fuse cartridge is in its normal fusing position, hence said coil spring, acting against the split collar 54, tends t0 move said fuse cartridge downwardly.

Pivotally connected to the inner end portion ofv the extension 43 of the member 48 is a downwardly extended arm 59, which, as shown in Fig. 4, includes an upper bifurcated portion which embraces the portion of the extension 43 to which said arm is pivotally attached. The pivotal connection between said arm and said extension is provided by a pin 68 which extends through the outer bearing portions of said bifurcated portion of the arm and through the inner portion of the extension 43. At the lower end of the arm 59 a, more or less hook-shaped portion 6| is .pro-

vided, this hook-shaped portion being produced by a lower portion 52, which extends laterally from the offset main portion of the arm and is provided at its opposite end with a relatively short, upwardly extended portion E4. The laterally extended portion 62 is provided with a tapered upper portion, as indicated at B2 in Fig. 1.

Pivotally connected to the split collar 54, which, as already stated herein, is secured to the tube of the fuse cartridge C, is a toggle member 65. The pivotal connection between the split collar and the toggle element is the fastening element 55, which serves also to connect the ears of the split collar together, a portion of said toggle element being extended between said ears of said split collar, and said fastening device 55 being extended through an opening formed in said portion of said toggle member (Fig. 4). The toggle member is provided with a curved seat 66 at its lower end, and said member is provided with an extension 61 which extends upwardly and inwardly relative to the housing when the fuse cartridge is in its normal fusing position. The extension 81 is provided with a laterally extended lug S1', as shown in Fig. 4, andJ also said toggle member is provided with an abutment 68 adapted to contact with the tube of the fuse cartridge, and with a laterally projected extension 69 which receives in contact therewith a portion of the arm 59 when the fuse cartridge is in the effective fusing position.

When the improved housed fuse switch is to be placed in use, the fuse cartridge C is moved upwardly against the downward force exerted against said fuse cartridge by the coil spring 58. When the fuse cartridge is so positioned, the hook-shaped lower end of the arm 59 is in arranged, co-operative engagement with the toggle member 55, the lower end of said toggle member being drawn forwardly so that the abutment 58 thereof contacts with the tube of the fuse cartridge, and the laterally extended portion 62 of the hook-shaped lower end portion of the arm 59 being disposed,in the curved seat 66 of said toggle member. The lower ends` of the toggle member 55 and arm 59 are held in their cooperative forward positions adjacent to the tube of the fuse cartridge by the lower end portion of the fuse link which passes between and is gripped by the curved face of the seat 66 of the toggle member and the top, tapered portion of the portion 62 of the arm, the tail portion of said fuse link being twisted about the extension 61 of the toggle member, as shown in Fig. l, when it is desired to prevent the lower portion 0f said fuse link from being thrown free from the housing when said fuse link blows. Thus the substantially vertically disposed arm 59 in engagement with the toggle member holds,v the fuse cartridge in its elevated position against the action of the coil spring 58, and the fuse linkpre-v vents the toggle connection between the extension 43 and the fuse cartridge produced by the toggle member 65 and the arm 59 from breaking inwardly of the housing to permit the fuse cartridge to move downwardly in response to force exerted by the coil spring 58. It is obvious that because the downward exertion of the coil spring 58 tends to break the toggle connection inwardly of the housing, the iuse link which resists such toggle-breaking movement isplaced under ten-- sion by said coil spring.

When the fuse cartridge has been arranged in its restrained, elevated position as described, the

door 2, which carries the fuse cartridge, may be moved to its closed position; and on movement of the door to such closed position about its hinge points the extensions 50 on the member 48 at the upper yend of the fuse cartridge will contact with the inclined cam portions 22 of the upper contact I8, thus causing the forwardly extended portions of said upper contact to be moved upwardlyl by said extensions until the door has reached such inward position that the extensions 50 will be engaged by the keeper portions 2'I of said forwardly extended portions of the upper contact. On such inward movement of the door, the arm 59 will contact with the downwardly and outwardly extended end portions of the lower contact I9 and move said portions inwardly, and also the top face of the cap 52 at the upper end of the fuse cartridge will be engaged by the resilient arm 29, which latter element serves as conducting means for conducting heat away from the cartridge.

When the door 2 is closed, the fuse cartridge is in its effective fusing position, and when a fault occurs in the line which causes the fuse link to be ruptured, the force which restrains the toggle connection between the fuse cartridge and the extension 43 from breaking is removed, andbreaking movement of said toggle connection immediately takes place. Thus the coil spring 58 moves the fuse cartridge downwardly relative to the door 2, the lower section of the ruptured fuse link is pulled downwardly out of the open end of the tube of the cartridge as the toggle member 65 swings about its pivot, and the extensions 50 drop downwardly to positions where they are freed from the keeper portions 2| of the for wardly extended portions of the upper contact I8. Due to the fact that the door is biased toward its open position, and for the further reason that the downwardly extended portions of the lower contact I9 exert an outward force against the arm 59, the door 2, on downward movement of the fuse cartridge, will immediately fall to its open position, carrying the fuse cartridge with it.

By providing the arms al of the element ID with the hook-shaped portions 42, the door may be conveniently attached to or detached from the body portion of the housing. Also, by providlng the lower contact I9 with the downwardly and outwardly extended, outer portions which,-

are disposed at an approximate 45 angle relative to the perpendicular, an upwardly and outwardly exerted force is exerted against the fuse cartridge which reduces to a considerable extent the outward force which the keeper portions of the upper contact must restrain to hold the door in the closed position. In other words, if the entire force of the coiledportions of the lower contact were exerted outwardly, the keeper portions of the upper contact would have to restrain this entire force, and the action of releasing the cartridge and the door would be rendered quite stiff and difficult. However, by counteracting the out- Ward force with an upward force, the restraining duties of the keeper portions of the upper contact are considerably reduced, and as a result freer cartridge-releasing action is obtained.

. An important feature of the invention is that the toggle member 65 and the arm '58 are located in offset relation Vwith respect to the lower end of the tube of the cartridge. Thus, when the fuse cartridge is in the fusing position, the lower end of the tube thereof is entirely unobstructed for proper expulsive action. With reference to the lower contact I 9, it is to be noted that the fuse cartridge falls away from this contact as n well as from the-upper contact when said cartridge drops out of thefusing position, so that the cartridge is electrically disconnected from both of the contactswhen the fuse link is ruptured and a dead hinge is provided for the door.

We claim:

1. A fuse switch comprising a housing, a door' for said housing movably supported thereby, a fuse cartridge slidably supported by said door and provided with a fuse link extended therethrough, latch means within said housing for retaining said door in its closed position, means for urging said fuse cartridge in a downward direction relative to said door, and releasable means held in restraint by said f use link for preventing downward movement of said fuse cartridge, said releasable means being adapted on rupture of the fuse link to permit the fuse cartridge to move downwardly so as to release said door from said latch means for outward swinging movemer relative to said housing.

2. A fuse switch comprising a housing, a door for said housing movably supported thereby, a fuse cartridge slidably supported -by said door and provided with a fuse link extended therethrough, latch means within said housing for retaining said door in its closed position, resilient means for urging said fuse cartridge in a downward direction relative to said door, and releas' able means held in restraint by said fuse link for preventing downward vmovement of said fuse cartridge, said releasable means being adapted Y on rupture of the fuse link to permit the fuse cartridge to move downwardly so as to release said door from said latch means for outward swinging movement relative to said housing.

3. A fuse switch comprising a housing, a door for said housing movably supported thereby, a fuse cartridge slidably supported by said door and provided with a fuse link extended therethrough, upper and lower contacts within said housing adapted for electrical contact with portions of said fuse cartridge, said upper contact including latch means engageable with said fuse cartridge for retaining said door in its closed position, means for urging said fuse cartridge in a downward direction relative to said door, and releasable means held in restraint by said fuse link for preventing downward movement of said fuse cartridge, said releasable means being adapted Y on rupture of the fuse link to permit the fuse cartridge to move downwardly so as to release said fuse cartridge from said latch means and permit said door and fuse cartridge to swing outwardly relative to said housing.

4. A fuse switch comprising a housing, a door for said housing movably supported thereby, a fuse cartridge slidably ysupported by said door and provided with a fuse link extended therethrough, latch means within said housing for retaining said door in its closed position, means for urging said fuse cartridge in a downward directicn relative to said door, and releasable toggle means heldin restraint by said fuse link for preventing downward movement of said fuse cartridge, said releasable toggle means being adapted on rupture of the fuse link to permit through, latch means within said housing for retaining said door in its closed position, resilient v means for urging said fuse cartridge in a downward direction relative to said door, and releasable means held in restraint by said fuse link for preventing downward movement of said fuse cartridge, said releasable means being adapted on rupture oi the fuse link to permit the fuse cartridge to move downwardly so as to release said door from said latch means for outward swinging movement relative to said housing.

6. A fuse switch comprising a housing, a door for said housing movably supported thereby, a fuse cartridge slidably supported by said door and provided with a fuse link extended therethrough, latch means within said housing for retaining said door in its closed position resilient means for urging said fuse lcartridge in a downward direction relative to said door, and releasable means held in restraint by said fuse link for preventing downward movement of said fuse cartridge, the downward force exerted against said fuse cartridge by said resilient means tending to move said releasable means toA itsreleased position against the restraining action of the fuse link, so as to place said fuse link under tension, and said releasable means being adapted on rupture of the fuse link to permit the fuse cartridge to move downwardly under the action of said resilient means so as to release said door from said latch means for outward swinging movement relative to said housing.

7. A fuse switch comprising a housing, a door for said housing movably supported thereby, a fuse cartridge slidably supported by said door and provided with a fuse link extended therethrough, upper and lower contacts within said housing adapted for electrical contact with portions of said fuse cartridge, latch means forming part of said upper contact for retaining said door in its closed position, resilient means for urging said fuse cartridge in a downward direction relative to said door, and releasable means held in restraint by said fuse link for preventing downward movement of said fuse cartridge, the downward force exerted against said fuse cartridge -by said resilient means tending to move said releasable means to its released position against the restraining action of the fuse link, so as to place said. fuse link under tension, and said releasable means being adapted on rupture of the fuse link to permit the'fuse cartridge to move downwardly under the action of said resilient means so as to release said door from said latch means for outward swinging movement relative to said housing.

8. A fuse switch comprising a housing, a door for said housing movably supported thereby, a fuse cartridge slidably supported by said door and provided with a fuse link extended therethrough, upper and lower contacts within said housing adapted for electrical contact with portions of said fuse cartridge, latch means forming part of said upper contact for retaining said door in its closed position, resilient means for urging said fuse cartridge in a downward direction relative to said door, and releasable toggle means held in restraint by said fuse link for preventing downward movement of said fuse cartridge, the downward force exerted against said fuse cartridge by said resilient means tending to move said releasable means to its released position against the restraining action of the fuse link, so as to place said fuse link under tension, and said releasable means being adapted on rupture of the fuse link to permit the fuse cartridge to move downwardly under the action of said resilient means so as to release said door from said latch means for outward swinging movement relative to said housing.

9. A fuse switch comprising a housing, a door for saidhousing movably supported thereby, a

'fuse cartridge slidably supported by said door and provided with a fuse link extended therethrough, upper and lower contacts within said housing adapted for electrical contact with portions of said fuse cartridge, said upper contact including latch means engageable with said fuse cartridge for retaining said door in its closed position, means for urging said fuse cartridge in a downward direction relative to said door, and releasable means held in restraint by said fuse link for preventing downward movement of said fuse cartridge, said releasable means being adapted on rupture of the fuse link to permit the fuse cartridge to move downwardly so as to release said fuse cartridge from said latch means and permit said door and fuse cartridge to swing outwardlyrelative to said housing, the portion of said lower contact which contacts with said fuse cartridge being resilient and said portion being adapted to exert upward and outward pressure against said fuse cartridge when said fuse cartridge is in its effective fusing position.

10. A fuse switch comprising a housing, a door for said housing movably supported thereby, a fuse cartridge slidably supported by said door and provided with a fuse link extended therethrough, upper and lower contacts within said housing adapted for electrical contact with portions of said fuse cartridge, said upper contact including latch means engageable with said fuse cartridge for retaining said door in its closed position, means for urging said fuse cartridge in a downward direction relative to said door, and releasable means held in restraint by said fuse link for preventing downward movement of said fuse cartridge, said releasable means being adapted on rupture of the fuse link to permit the fuse cartridge to move downwardly so as to release said fuse cartridge from said latch means and permit said door and fuse cartridge to swing outwardly relative to said housing, the portion of said lower contact which contacts with said fuse cartridge being resilient and downwardly extended and said portion being adapted to exert upward and outward pressure against said fuse cartridge when said fuse cartridge is in its effective fusing position.

11. A fuse switch comprising a housing having electrical contact elements located therein,

a door for said housing movably supported thereby, a fuse cartridge slidably mounted on said door, and adapted to contact with said contact elements, a fuse element associated with said fuse cartridge, latch means adapted to engage said cartridge for retaining the door in a closed position, and means engaged by said fuse element for effecting disengagement o! the cartridge and the latch means onrupture oi' the fuse element so as to permit said door to move to an open position, thereby carrying the fuse cartridge out of the fusing position.

v 12. A fuse switch comprising a housing having electrical contact elements located therein, a door for said `housing movably supported thereby, a fuse cartridge slidably mounted on said door, and adapted to contact with said contact elements, said fuse cartridge being slidable its entirety relativeto said door, a fuse element associated with said fuse cartridge, latch means adapted to engage said cartridge for- C retaining the door in a closed position, and

means engaged by Asaid fuse element for eiiecting disengagement of the cartridge and the latch means on rupture of the fuse element so as to permit said door to move to an open position, thereby carrying the fuse cartridge out of the fusing position.

y 13. A cutout construction comprising a casing, a door movably supported by said casing .and biased towards open position, a tube movably carried by said door and normally biased towards movement with respect to said door, latching means holding said door closed and released when said tube moves with respect to said door, said casing and said tube having normally electrically connected vcontact means, said contact means separating when said tube moves from normal position with reference to said door,

and a current controlled expulsible conductor normally holding said tube against motion with Vrespect to said door, said conductorl normally 15. A cutout construction comprising, an in'.

sulating casing, apair of stationary terminals carried by said casing, a door for said casing, a fuse tube slidably carried by said door, terminals for said fuse tube adapted to have contact engagement with said stationary terminals, said fuse tube being adaptedto receive a fuse link therein forr interconnecting said fuse tube terminals, and spring means biasing said fuse tube for movement relative to said door, `said minal, and spring means biasing said fuse tube for relative movement through'said sleeve, said fuse link being Vtensioned by `said spring means and releasing thesameA on blowing to produce said relative movement for disengaging said one fuse tube terminal from said one stationary terminal.

17. A cutout construction comprising, a porcelain housing, a pair of stationary terminals carried by said housing, a door hingedly mounted on said housing, a fuse tube having terminals adapted to be interconnected by a fuse link therein, one of said fuse tube terminals being in contact engagement with one stationary terminal and the other including a metallic sleeve fastened to said door and through which said fuse tube is relatively movable and being electrically Vconnected to the other stationary terminal,

spring means for producing relative movement between said fuse tube and said sleeve, and a vlever pivotally mounted on said sleeve and cooperating with said fuse tube to prevent said relative movement, said lever being biased toward released position by said spring means and being restrained by said fuse link, said fuse link being tensioned by said spring means and on blowing releasing saidllever whereupon said Y fuse tube moves through said sleeve and said fuse link between tensioned by said spring means and vreleasing the same on v,blowing to produce said relative movement and disconnect at least 'one of said fuse tube terminals from its associ'-v ated stationary terminal. n

16. A cutout construction comprising', a porcelain housing, a pair of stationary terminals carried by said housing, a door hingedly mounted on said housing, a fuse tube having terminals adapted to be interconnected by a fuse link therein, one of said fuse tube terminals being in contact engagement with one stationary terminal and the'other including a metallic sleeve fastened to said door and through which said fuse tube is relatively'movable and being electrically connected to the other stationary terone fuse tube terminal is disengaged vfrom said one stationary terminal.

18. A cutout construction comprising, a porcelain housing, a pair of stationary terminals carried by said housing, a door hingedly mounted on said housing, a fuse tube having terminals adapted to be interconnected by a fuse link therein, one of said fuse tube terminals being located at one end of said fusev tube in contact engagement with one stationary terminal and the otherincluding a metallic sleeve spaced from the other end of said fuse tube andv fastened to said door and through which said fuse tube is relatively movable and being electrically connected to the other stationary terminal, spring means for producing relative movement between said fuse tube and said sleeve, a lever pivotally mounted on said sleeve and extending along said fuse tube toward said other end thereof and cooperating with'the same to prevent 'said relative movement, said lever being biased toward released position by said spring means and bengrestrained by said fuse link, and an auxiliary lever cooperating with said lever-iny withdrawing a portion of said fuse link from said fuse tube after the same blows, said fuse link on blowing releasing said lever whereupon said fuse tube moves through 'said sleeve and said one fuse tube terminal is disengaged from said one stationary terminal.

FRANCIS J. vMCCLUSKEY. GEORGE W. GOLDNER. 

